Folding device



April 8, 1930. H. w. oRNDoFF FOLDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. ll. 1928 April 8, 1930. H. w. oRNDoFF FOLDING DEVICE Filed Sept. l1, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet P.

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Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES HERBERT W. ORNDOFF, OF NEW ORLEANS,

.TAMIN CO., INC., OF NEW ORLEANS,

TRADING AS MAGINNIS COTTON MILLS LOUISANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. V. BEN- LGEESEANA, A CORPORATION OF LOUISIANA,

FOLDING DEVICE Application led September 11, 1928. Serial No. 305,247.

This invention relates to improvements in folding devices, more particularly of the ro tary type in which a blank is to be folded intermediate its length at a predetermined folding line.

This invention will hereinafter be described more particularly as applied to a folding mechanism for doubling bag blanks prior to the sewing of the edges of the blanks to form the bag, and in conjunction with a mechanism for printing upon the blank prior to such folding. Such a machine is shown, for example, in the U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,482,605 to E. G..Goben, granted Feb. 5, 1924, to which reference is made for certain relationships of the parts. It has been found, when a bag blank is printed on a printing cylinder and taken therefrom onto a receiving roll for delivery to the folding roll, that as the blank passes between the receiving and folding rolls prior to the gripping of the blank along the predetermined fold line, a slipping or creeping of the blank will sometimes occur by reason of the low friction and constant distance between the peripheries of the receiving and folding rolls, which permit the depending length of a bag to successively creep or dragdownward faster than such movement should be determined by the pe ripheral movement of the rolls themselves. As a result of this, the bag blank may be folded at a line removed from the predeter' mined and desired fold line, but parallel to it; or in `aggravated cases, one side or edge of the blank may creep further than the other, with a result that the fold line is not parallel to the advancing and rear edges of the blank. Further, in practice, it is found that the web of material employed for forming such bags must be joined from point to point by cross seams which may be of a thickness equivalent to five or six layers of the material. When such a seam comes between the receiving and folding rolls, a momentary stoppage may be caused, or even an entire interruption of the feeding, until the arrival of the folding devices causes a physical engagement with the material of the cross seam and carries it along; in other words, if the cross seam is near the front edge of the traveling blank,

the fold may be accomplished at the same end and not at the mid-length of the blank.

An objectof the present invention is, therefore, to eliminate the dificulties set forth above, and for such purposes it proposes to provide a resilient movable journal for the folding devices whereby a constant but light Y frictional grip is maintained upon the blank to a uniform degree throughout its width and substantially independent of the thickness of the material of the blank. Further, such a journaling permits the quick and immediate passage of a cross seam, if such may be present, without change in the location of the fold line later established on the blank by the folding mechanism itself.

With these and other objects in view. as will be apparent in the course of the follow ing specification and claims, an illustrative form of execution of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings, in which t- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a part of a machine according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is atop plan view.

3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, on a larger scale, showing the folding mechanism. l

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the journal arrangement, at one end of the folding roll.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the sliding journal block and cam. l

Fig. 6 is an end view of the same from the cam side.

In the drawings, the machine is illustrated as having a frame 15 upon which is j ournaled a shaft 17 of a printing cylinder 19 which operates upon the bag blanks delivered to it to print desired matter thereon and to deliver the printed blanks to the receiving roll 31 (Fig. 1), which normally comprises a plurality of spaced discs (Fig. 2) iXedly mounted upon a central shaft which rotates in a fixed bearing 3()a on the frame 15. A. gripping device shown conventionally in Fig. j

3 grips the front or advancing edge of the blank and carries it in a clockwise direction in Fig. 1 over the receiving roll 31 and delivers it between the receiving roll 31 and the folding roll 81 which likewise usually com-V say prises a plurality of discs mounted upon a central shaft 80.

This shaft 80 is carried in a bearing 150 having extending legs 151 thereon, each of which has an oblong aperture 152 therein substantially in a plane at right angles to the axis of the shaft 80, to receive securing cap screws 153 which pass through the respective apertures or slots 152 into the bosses 154 on the upper part 151 of the frame. It will be understood that the heads of the `cap screws 153 permit the respective lug and bearing assembly 151, 150 to make a longitudinal movement, while guiding it in this movement, and even permitting a slight rocking of the axis of the shaft in a horizontal plane.

The frame members 15 likewise have integral extensions 15b with upstanding ends 155 to receive the adjusting screws 156, each of which at its free end enters within the convolutions of a coil spring 157, and is provided with a. collar 158 for adjusting the tension of the individual spring 157. Each spring 157 engages around a nose 158 on one bearing extension 151 and is retained in position thereby.

The other bearing extension 151 at each side is guided into abutting relationship with a head of an adjusting screw 159 which is threaded into the respective frame member 15a; and it may be held firmly in a definite position by the lock nut 160.

The bearing shell 150 is provided with a flared portion 161 having a cam 162 formed thereon. A second cam surface of similar design is provided on the periphery of a flat plane 163 having arcuate slots 164 therein to receive the clamping Iscrews 165 which pass into the cam 162. Each of the cams 163 and 162 has a high portion 90k and a low portion 89: and it will be noted from Fig. 6 that by releasing the screws 165 and rotating the cam 163, it is possible to regulate and adjust the K length of the combined raised portions 90 of the two cams 162 and 163 and upon tightening the screws 165 aga-in the parts will be firmly held in position.

The receiving roll 31 is provided also with a projecting rib 41 which comes opposite the half-length of the blank passing through the machine. The folding roll 81 is provided with a notch 83 in its periphery which comes opposite and receives this rib 41 during the rotation of the two rolls when driven together through the gears 37 85 from the common drive of the machine. A notch 83` it will be understood, is provided in each of the severa-l discs comprising the folding roll 81, each notch being provided at one side with a fixed pressure rj lat-e 98 and at the other side with a movable clamping aw 94 carried by a rocker 96 journaled on a shaft 87 passing along the length of the folding roll 81 parallel to its`axis 80.

The shaft 87 is provided at one end of the roller discs comprising the folding roll 81, with a lever arm 101 secured thereto, this lever arm carrying a rotatable anti-friction roller 103 which travels on the periphery of the cam surfaces 162, 163 having the low portion 89 and the raised portion 90 of adjustable extent, as described above. rlhe respective rockers 96 are returned to open` by the tension return springs 108 w ichA are held at their opposite ends by screws 109 seated in the periphery of the disks 81 (Fig.

In operation, as the advancing edge of the sheet S is engaged by the grippers 60 and passes clockwise over the receiving roll 31 and downward between this receiving roll 31 and the folding roll 81, the blank remainsl suspended between these rolls, but is held in position by a light friction produced by the action of the spring in urging the shaft 80 and the folding roll discs thereon toward the receiving roll 31. The stop restricts this move- Ament and prevents any crushing, cutting or tearing of the material of the blank. It will be noted that the gears 37 and 85 are of the same diameter and thesame number of teeth,

and, therefore, mesh and cooperate with each During the passage of the first portion of the blank, the roller 103 has been lying on the lower part89 of the cam, but at the moment of the insertion of the central line of the blank into the notch 83, this roller 103 rides up on the high part 90 of the cam and causes the rocker 96 to force the jaw 94 into pinching engagement with the center of the blank, thus establishing the transverse line of fold which, by the construction, arrangement, and adjustment of the parts, may be brought to occur at the halfdength of the blank. The roller 103 continues to move around on the raised part 90 of the cam and the rear half of the blank is thus brought through by the two rolls, which continue to move at the same peripheral speed.

The folding roll 81 moves counterclockwisc at all times, and hence when the folded blank is just disengaging its rear edge from between the two'rolls, the position of the blank is that shown at S', Fig. 3, the front edge F of the blank being draped over a guide board 120, while the folded center line is being carried continuously forward. part of a rotation later, the roller 103 leaves the high part 90 of the cam and permits the jaw 94 to be dis engaged from the plate 98 under the action of the spring108, so that the center line of the blank is no longer held by the ripping device on the folding' roll, and the olded blank S2 is permitted to fall onto a delivery table 121 carried on the adjusting arm 122 located beneath it, the folded bag blank assuming the position as shown in Fig. 3.

At each revolution, a further blank is picked up by the receiving roll 31 and the same operation is effected upon it by the several devices.

If a bag blank has projecting or thickened knots or spots thereon, or has a cross seam produced by the joining of two lengths of material, and such parts of the material come between the two rolls 31 and 81, the folding roll 81 and its shaft 80 will retreat sufriciently under the pressure thus produced while continuing to rotate by the positive drive through the gears 37, 85, and the blank will continue to advance as though no such thickened part had been present. It will be understood that the depth and pitch of the teeth in the gears 37, 85 is greater than the maximum thickness which may occur by reason of a cross seam or the like in the material. During this movement, one or both ends of the shaft 8O has moved away from the shaft 30, and the respective bearing or bearings 150 has moved with the shaft: and hence the cams 162, 163 have likewise been moved, and the concentricity of the cam axes and the aXis of shaft 8O have been preserved, and hence the relative position of the axis of shaft 87 and of the anti-friction roller 103 has been maintained, and there has been no change in the eiiect of these several parts with respect to the gripping attained by the jaws 9a and 98. It will further be noted that a knot or the like occurring adjacent one edge of the blank merely causes the movement of the adjacent part of the folding roll 81, which immediately returns after the knot has passed, while at all times maintaining a substantially uniform pressure upon the full width of the blank so that no creeping or angular movement of the blank is possible under the conditions of operation.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the illustrative example set forth in detail above, but that it may be modified in many ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a folding machine, a delivery roll, a folding roll, means to drive said rolls together, cooperative folding devices on said rolls including gripping members on said folding roll to seize the blank to be folded and thereby establish the line of fold, bearings for said folding roll, means including a cam fixed to and concentric with a bearing of said folding roll to operate said gripping means, and means to permit said folding roll to move toward and from said delivery roll independently of the action of said fold ing devices.

2. A folding machine as in claim 1, in which a spring is employed to force said folding roll toward the delivery roll.

3. A folding machine as in claim 1, having a spring to force said folding roll toward the delivery roll and a stop to limit the movement of said folding roll toward said delivery roll.

A. A folding machine as in claim 1, having independently movable bearings for the folding roll whereby either or both ends may move, and independent means to urge the ends of the folding roll toward the delivery roll.

5. A folding machine as in claim 1, having independently movable bearings for the folding roll whereby either or both ends may move, and independent springs located at each end of the folding roll to urge the respective end toward the said delivery roll.

6. In a device of the class described, a frame, a bearing block having guides and securing members whereby the b-lock may move backward and forward in a substantially horizontal plane, a cam rigid with said block to move therewith, a shaft movable in said block and about its own axis, and sheetI engaging devices carried by said shaft and actuated by said cam during the movement of the shaft.

7. In a folding machine, a delivery roll, a folding roll, means to drive said rolls together, cooperating folding devices on said rolls, said devices on the folding roll including gripping members operated by a camsurface-following member, bearings for said folding roll, and a first cam section rigid with one of said bearings and having high and low surfaces thereon for moving said following member, and a second cam section having high and low surfaces thereon cir -cumferentially movable and securable with respect to said first section whereby to vary the relative lengths of total high and total low surfaces presented to and actuating said following member.

In testimony whereof. I affix my signature.

HERBERT w. oRNDoFF. 

